His Little Miracle
by hpnutter
Summary: "On the one hand, a part of him wanted a child. On the other hand, his ex-best friend Grace sort of drugged him and had sex with him when he was barely conscious and didn't even bother to use a condom." The unthinkable happens, and Kurt has to learn to deal with the aftermath. But sometimes you have to fight through some bad days to earn the best ones of your life. Future Puckurt.


**Warning**: This story will contain semi-graphic rape, the use of drugs to facilitate sexual assault, and teen parenthood. These are very serious topics, and should be handled with care. There will also be homophobia as well as sexual relations between two consenting males, though that will be far into the future. Course language will be used, and sometimes the ideas and thoughts presented throughout the story will not reflect the author's personal opinion.

A/N: This was originally posted under my other penname, famigleea. I'm moving it to this account to keep all of my active projects together. I've edited it a little, and it's now in present tense instead of past, but there may still be some mistakes.

Also, to be clear. I in no way, shape, or form condone Mark Salling's actions. That being said, I still really like Puck's character, and so I will continue with my original course of action in making this Puckurt. I understand entirely if you don't agree with this choice; feel free to back out of my story.

* * *

_"Keep your head up, baby, because there are people who will kill to see you fall."_

That's what his mother used to say to him. Kurt remembers sitting by her hospital bed as she slowly withered away. She'd grabbed his hand and smiled, even though it looked painful for her to do so. At the time he hadn't fully understood what she'd meant. He was only seven years old and had still believed that when he grew up everything would be better. He wouldn't get picked on anymore, and maybe Noah would stop taking his cookies at lunch time.

But his mother knew. She had known her son was different, and that his life would be difficult because of those differences. He wondered if she knew just how badly his life was turning out to be. Still, she always wore a smile and had a warm embrace when he would cry about his classmates' cruelty. Elizabeth Hummel was an amazing wife and mother, and when she died, it was like all of the color bled out of the world. Although he still had his father, Kurt would never stop missing the woman who had meant so much to him.

Every now and then, particularly after a rough day at school, Kurt would repeat those words in his head. _Keep your head up. Keep your head up. Keep your head up._

It made things a little easier to deal with. And as he got older, he started to realize exactly what his mother meant. As he began high school, Kurt discovered just how cruel people could be. The start of his freshman year was the start of what the unpopular people at McKinley High started calling dumpster dives. It was like name-calling simply wasn't enough anymore. In the back of his mind, Kurt knew he would be targeted by bullies. With his delicate features, high voice, and impeccable taste in the latest fashion do's, it really was a given. He hadn't expected to be tossed in a dumpster, though.

The experience was beyond humiliating. The remnants of moldy pasta had smeared into his clothes, and he knew he smelled hideous. Every class he went to, people would scrunch their noses and look at him as if he belonged on the bottom of a shoe. Others laughed, particularly the tough-looking boys that used to push him around on the playground. And when the teachers did nothing but look down their noses at him, Kurt realized that that was what people thought of him: something that belonged in the trash.

"Faggot," they'd sneer. And nobody did anything to stop them, or to help him.

There weren't many people that were nice to him. Everybody seemed to either hate him for being gay (and he hadn't even come out the closet yet) or avoided him to not attract any trouble from the jocks. In fact, he could name the people that have been kind to him on one hand. There was the Spanish teacher, Mr. Schuester, who would offer him a smile but also usually walked by when he was surrounded by menacing jocks in an obviously unfriendly setting; there was Miss Pillsbury, the guidance counselor, who was jittery and looked like a bit of a nutcase herself; and there was also Mr. Ryerson, the Glee club director, but he gave Kurt creepy stares that made him feel like he was being preyed upon.

He was alone.

Kurt never cried in front of them, opting to sob his despair in the privacy of his own bedroom late at night. Instead, he'd found himself bringing spare clothes, and he'd pick himself out of the garbage with a few scathing remarks. _Keep your head up_. These people wouldn't see him fall. He'd never give them the satisfaction. High school might be hell, but eventually he'd get his happy ending, and the bastards in Lima who thought of him as nothing but trash would all work for him.

But until then, Kurt had to tough it out.

And he thought that'd be easy. Freshman year wasn't too hard, and he'd even made a friend, Grace. Sure, he'd gotten tossed into dumpsters and had slushies thrown in his face, but Kurt had discovered that putting up with all of the bullshit was easier when he had someone by his side.

And now, months later, Kurt can't help but regret ever meeting her.

"Kurt, are you okay?" his father calls, knocking on the door.

Kurt sighs miserably. He's on his knees in the bathroom of their shop. For a moment, he stares at the toilet and wonders if he's going to hurl. He certainly feels like he should. "Yeah, dad, just feeling a little under the weather," he calls back.

A few moments pass by in silence. When his stomach stops turning and the feeling of his insides wanting to evacuate his body comes to a halt, he stands up and washes his hands. Kurt splashes some cold water on his face for good measure. Staring hard in the mirror, he repeats his mother's words over and over.

_Keep your head up._

And, fuck, it's so hard to do right now.

He steps out of the bathroom to meet his father's concerned eyes. Kurt hates making his dad worry, and he knows he looks a fright. His normally perfect hair is unkempt, and he's actually wearing greasy coveralls. Kurt has even been skipping his skin care routine more often than not since summer vacation started.

His father stares at him. "There's, uh, something I wanted to show you," his father says after another moment of uncomfortable silence.

Kurt smiles weakly. "What is it?"

Burt gently takes Kurt's hand and tugs him along, his rough, calloused hand softly holding Kurt's soft, delicate one. "Now, I know you said you didn't really want anything for your birthday, but, well, with all that happened, I thought you'd really need this."

_He can't move. Someone is on top of him, high-pitched moans and the smell of lavender…_

Kurt fights hard to keep his flinch down. Nausea coils in the pit of his stomach. He doesn't want to remember Grace and that night so many months ago, but every now and then something will take him back and he'll nearly lose his lunch. When his father winces, Kurt squeezes his hand. "It's okay," he assures quietly. _I'm okay,_ is what he wants to say, but he can't bring himself to utter such a complete lie. Not when it's beyond obvious that the events a few months ago still haunt him.

Burt gives his son a look that speaks volumes. "No, it's not," he says just as softly, "but it _will_ be. We'll get through this."

Kurt licks his lips and nods his head. Because despite how shitty he feels, he knows on some level that his dad is right. They will get through this. Eventually.

"So what is it that you wanted to give me?" Kurt asks.

Burt seems a little relieved at the change in subject. "Take a look for yourself," he says as leads Kurt to the front door and opens it.

Kurt steps outside with a puzzled look before his eyes take in the sight in front of him. His eyes widen and he gasps quietly, his hands shooting up to his face. Parked in front of the shop is a beautiful, shiny, sleek black Lincoln Navigator. He knows this because Kurt has had his eye on one since he was fourteen. This car is _beautiful_. Kurt turns to his dad and hugs him as hard as he can. Burt nearly melts, returning the hug with as much enthusiasm as he can without hurting his son. Ever since The Incident, Kurt can't stop himself from craving his father's comforting embraces.

"Thanks, dad," Kurt whispers hoarsely, taking a moment to control his emotions.

Burt nods his head, smiling. Using a finger, he lifts Kurt's head so that they're eye-level. "I don't want you to think I'm only doing this because of what happened," he says. Kurt almost pulls away, but Burt keeps a careful hold on him. "Your mother and I always talked about getting you a car for your sixteenth birthday. Now, I know this isn't the exact one you wanted, but I figured that wouldn't really matter."

"It doesn't," Kurt pipes in. He smiles. "I love it."

Burt's cheeks pinken a little. "Yeah, well," he says, fumbling for something to say. "You'll have to pay for the gas yourself, and I know you're responsible enough to either bring her to me when she needs oil changes or tune ups, or even do it yourself. Your curfew remains the same, and I still expect a text message or phone call whenever you go out telling me where you're at and who you're with."

Kurt nods. The rules are very reasonable, and he knows as well as Burt did that Kurt doesn't really go out anywhere. Not before The Incident and certainly not after. Still, having the option to just go out and drive excites Kurt. His hands twitch and his father smirks knowingly before tossing him the keys.

"Can…?"

"Jimmy's gonna watch the shop for a few while we take her out for a drive," Burt informs him matter-of-factly.

Kurt squeals, gripping the keys tightly as he races over to the car. He stops just before he gets in, however, looking at his greasy coveralls in horror. "Dad, we have to change," he says. "I won't have any grease stains not even ten minutes into my ownership of this beauty!"

Burt nods his head expectantly. "Your clothes are in the back." He pauses and rubs his bald head. "I'm pretty sure they match, but if they don't I'm sorry. I don't know how to pair together all the stuff in your closet."

Kurt blinks. "I…" He doesn't quite know what to say so he just hugs his father again and plants a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thanks, dad."

Burt blushes. "Go change," he says. "I'll put mine on in the office." Without another word, the elder Hummel turns around and heads back into the shop.

Kurt watches him go with a soft smile. Not for the first time in his life does he wonder what exactly he did to deserve such a great dad. The past few months have been hard beyond reason, but Burt was with him every step of the way, an unwavering presence of comfort and support. His father had barely batted an eyelash when Kurt came out, and had cried with him when he confessed his deepest shame, The Incident.

Kurt opens the car door and finds the bag with his clothes in it. He grabs it, inhaling the fresh scent in the car. The interior is just as beautiful as the exterior with leather seats (_real_ leather) and recently vacuumed floors. Kurt can't resist petting the seat before he snaps out of it and practically flies inside the shop to change in the bathroom.

His father actually didn't choose bad clothes. Of course, none of Kurt's clothes are bad, but he is pleasantly surprised to see that everything matched. Granted, he normally pairs these jeans with his boots instead of the Converse his father had bought him several months ago, but they go together quite well.

By the time he's done changing, his father has just finished giving Jimmy, his assistant manager, directions, not that he really needed it. At Hummel Tires & Lube, they have a really good team. Jimmy has been working with Burt since Kurt wore diapers. Kurt considers him an uncle, and the other older members are also considered family.

Burt notices him and finishes his conversation with Jimmy. Jimmy gives Kurt a thumbs up and a grin which has his cheeks heating up in excitement. Without waiting for his father, Kurt races to his car and bucklss himself in. He actually lets out a whimper when he sees the dash and console, taking in the GPS and radio and overall feel of _his_ car. Adjusting his mirrors as his dad slips into the passenger's seat, Kurt turns on the Navigator and grins when the engine purrs to life.

The soundtrack to _Wicked_ comes on, making him squeal all the more. "When did you take this?" he asks his father, eyeing him with a newfound appreciation.

Burt shrugs. "You know you take forever in the bathroom."

Kurt laughs lightly. "Sneaky!" He rubs the steering wheel with his thumbs. "So where to, dad?"

"I was thinking we should go to the mall." His father sounds almost hesitant.

Kurt gives him a puzzled look. "The mall? You never go there voluntarily."

Burt nods his head. He turns to Kurt and looks him in the eye. "You're going to need things…you know…for the baby."

Kurt's spine stiffens almost on its own accord. Most people would be excited at the prospect of welcoming a new baby into the world, but Kurt finds it hard to be really excited. On the one hand, he never thought he would get to have a child of his own and a part of him wanted a child. On the other hand, his ex-best friend Grace sort of drugged him and had sex with him when he was barely conscious and didn't even bother to use a condom. The Incident.

He just turned sixteen. Kurt doesn't think he's ready to have a kid, but at the same time, when he was trying to decide what he wanted to do, he found he couldn't bear the thought of signing away his baby for adoption. Plus, though his father tried to remain impartial and allow Kurt to make the decision on his own, Kurt knew Burt was a little excited to have a grandchild of his own.

None of them had planned on having a baby to welcome to their household, but they're "rolling with the punches" as Burt put it.

And Kurt isn't afraid to admit he's terrified. That seems to pretty much be the norm as of late.

When he woke up that November morning, he'd had no recollection of the night previous. All he could remember was arriving at Grace's house, not thinking about the fact that her parents were out of town, and then her offering him a drink. He woke up scared and groggy, and his suspicions were only confirmed when he realized he and Grace were both naked in bed.

His first instinct had been to run. He'd put on his clothes as fast as he could, for once not giving a damn about fashion and looking presentable, and bolted. Grace had picked him up from his house, so he ran and ran until Grace's house disappeared from view. It was a four mile walk from her house to his, but he didn't care. Kurt spent most of the walk trying to come to terms with what he suspected had happened as well as trying to walk a straight line. Whatever she had slipped him, because there was _no way_ he'd lose almost eleven hours without the help of a drug, it had made it very hard to move correctly.

And when he had gotten home almost two hours later, his father had already been at the shop. Kurt had taken a steaming hot shower in an attempt to scrub the dirtiness away. It was only when the water had nearly gone completely cold that Kurt started bawling, crying as hard as he had when his mother passed.

Kurt hid what had happened to him for months, feeling so deeply ashamed that he'd been taken advantage of by a _girl_ who wasn't nearly as strong as him. But when Grace's parents called at the end of March, about four months after The Incident, angrily informing Burt that his son had gotten their little girl pregnant, the truth had come tumbling out. Part of him expected his father to be upset or disgusted with him, but Burt held him and they rocked and cried together.

The meeting between the Hummels and the Cooks had been beyond tense. Kurt had never met Grace's parents, but seeing them glare at him from across his dining room table had him shrinking in his seat. Burt wouldn't have any of it, though. His father waited with an amazing display of patience as they ranted about their baby girl's life effectively ruined. When they were finished, eyeing the Hummels expectantly, Burt spoke eloquently and in a manner usually only displayed in politics.

The Cooks, like any parents would, had immediately denied their sweet daughter having the ability to do something so horrible, but even their arguments had effectively died when Grace burst into tears and all but confessed.

"It was just something to help you love me," she had sobbed.

Kurt still flinches when he thinks about her parents' faces. Her mother had stared at her daughter looking absolutely horrified and disgusted, and her father had paled significantly.

And when Grace had launched herself at Kurt in an attempt to hug him, the feminine boy had flung himself away violently and Burt had stepped in front of his son protectively. That had effectively ended their talk. Grace's mother had to wrestle her into the car.

"Do you want to press charges?" her father had asked quietly.

It was amazing, the power of a single question. _Did_ he want to press charges? Simply put, _no_. Kurt had just wanted to forget about it. He wanted to wake up and find out everything was a dream. But instead, he had to realize that that was his reality. And through no fault of his own, Kurt was expecting a baby. He was going to be a daddy.

He'd cried himself sick at that discovery.

However, after a month of careful deliberation and seeing his therapist, Kurt had come to the conclusion that he couldn't give up his baby. He didn't consent to the baby's conception, but a part of him just couldn't punish his baby for that.

This realization, of course, didn't help him get over his anger, bitterness, and resentment. There are days where he still hopes he'll wake up and discover everything was a nightmare, but with the help of his therapist, Kurt is coming to terms with his life. He still isn't looking forward to how different and how much harder his life will be, but he won't change his mind.

Not when he saw how relieved his father had been when Kurt had told him he wanted to keep the baby.

So after a couple of weeks of deliberation and negotiations, the Hummels had agreed to not press charges and the Cooks had agreed that Grace would sign away her parental rights after she gave birth as well as seek counseling. She hadn't seemed too happy about it, but she didn't really have much of a choice. Her parents had recognized the deal for the gem it was. Despite the awfulness of her actions as well as the despairing consequences, Grace could avoid jail time.

And the baby, who was a boy they later found out, would be properly cared for by a young man who was willing to give up his carefree life as a teenager to take care of a child who was but in a way shouldn't be his responsibility.

"It kind of feels real," Kurt says after a while. "Before I could pretend that I'm really not going to be a dad, but now we're going to buy things and it'll be real. I'm really having a baby."

Burt nods his head and puts his hand on Kurt's knee. "I am so proud of you," he says softly. "I _hate_ that this happened. I _hate_ that I wasn't able to protect you from something like this, but here you are, doing something you don't have to because you feel it's the right thing, and I couldn't be more proud at how you turned out. You're a lot like your mom, you know."

Kurt sniffles and gives his father a watery smile. "Would she be?" he asks so quietly that Burt has to strain to hear him.

"Absolutely," Burt replies earnestly and without hesitation. "Now, we've put this off for as long as we could. I know the doctor's say she's due around the first week of August, but in all actuality the kid could come anywhere from now until that date. These things aren't an exact science. So we're going to get some stuff to be prepared. Okay?"

"I'm scared," Kurt whispers. "What if I mess up? Or what if I'm just not cut out for this?"

"Hey," his father murmurs. "This parenting thing doesn't come with a manual. There will be times where you want to pull your hair out or scream or cry or all of that. I can't promise you that this will be easy, but what I _can_ promise you is that I'll be here every step of the way. You will _not_ be alone in this, you hear me?"

Kurt wipes away his tears and nods. "Put your seat belt on," he demands, ignoring when his father chuckles.

They drive to the mall, and Kurt is beyond ecstatic at how smooth his new car runs. Kurt eyes some of the stores there longingly, but ignores the urge to shop his heart out. He's going to be a parent, and as fabulous as his wardrobe is, Kurt knows that he has to shift his priorities.

Even though he misses out on some really great deals, he has a really good time with his father. They buy everything that's essential for a little baby boy: bottles, wipes, diapers, onesies, bibs, a car seat (which Kurt couldn't stop himself from ensuring that it won't clash with the interior of his car), and a little baby bath. They also buy a beautiful crib that Kurt thinks would look fabulous next to his bed as well as toys. Kurt thought he'd enjoy buying baby clothes, but he quickly discovers that the clothes simply don't match his standards.

"You know, you're pretty good at fashion and following directions," Burt says nonchalantly. "You could always just make his clothes. That's what your mom did. In fact, I'm pretty sure I still have some of your old things in the attic."

That stops Kurt dead in his tracks. He's never thought about making his own clothes, only keeping up with the latest trends. But if he can _make_ the clothes… The wheels turn in his head.

With that, Kurt also adds fabrics and a How-To book in their shopping cart. They're about to leave the mall when Kurt's stomach growls uncomfortably. Burt laughs and together they load the Navigator before walking back to the food court where they settle down to have dinner.

Kurt gasps, his fork stopping halfway to his mouth. "Dad, we forgot about the shop and Jimmy!"

Burt snorts around his pizza. "You kidding me? I told him to lock up. I knew shopping with you would take a million years."

Kurt pouts before taking a bite of his salad and sighing in bliss. "You know what, dad? I've been thinking a lot lately…"

"That's dangerous," Burt says. He smiles when Kurt gives him a look. "What's on your mind, kid?"

"I was wondering if you could maybe help me…get into shape?" Kurt asks hesitantly.

Burt puts his pizza down and wipes his mouth. "May I ask why?"

Kurt shrugs, moving his fork around but not taking another bite. "I just… I just want to be able to take care of myself. I want to be _stronger_ and not worry about someone overpowering me _ever_ again…"

It's silent for a few moments before Kurt feels his father nudge his foot. He looks up and finds Burt staring at him. "Of course I will," he says softly. "As a matter of fact, why don't I do it with you?"

Kurt blinks, a little stunned before his lips stretch into a smile. "You will?"

"Yeah." Burt nods. "We'll both get into shape."

"And you'll start eating healthier?" Kurt looks at the greasy pizza pointedly.

Burt grimaces, but nods his head again. "We'll have to lay some ground rules. I can't cut a lifetime of eating habits so quickly, but I'll try. Okay?"

"Deal!" Kurt grins. They eat the rest of their dinner in a comfortable silence.

"This was nice," Burt says as they walk back to the car. He yawns, surprised that Kurt had managed to make him spend several hours in the mall. "It's been a while since we've really spent time like this together."

"I had fun," Kurt confesses. "You know, after The Incident and everything, I've been feeling like I was drowning. No matter how many times I talked to Dr. Prescott, I just couldn't feel better."

"Kurt, it's going to take a long time for you to really get over what happened," his father says gently. "But we'll get through it. Nobody messes with the Hummels, yeah?"

Kurt nods. "I feel better; lighter, almost. And I just want to say thanks. For, you know, being awesome."

Burt pulls him into a hug. "I always have your back."

Kurt squeezes his father tighter, inhaling the Old Spice his father adored. "I'm glad you're you."

And with that, they make their way home. Exhausted from their day, they agree to unload the car the next morning. Burt kisses his head before they both shower and change into their pajamas. Without another word, the Hummels settle into the couch to watch an episode of _Deadliest Catch_ and _Project Runway_. They both fall asleep there, with Kurt snuggled into his father's warm protective embrace.


End file.
